Apparently, Alex Steinweiss created the world's first modern album cover (for Rodgers-Hart: Musical Comedy Hits):
http://undependent.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/coversquare.jpg
More info here
Also, you can buy a http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/design/all/01099/facts.alex_steinweiss_inventor_of_the_modern_album_cover_art_edition.htm000 Taschen art edition book on Steinweiss
And finally, here is a Flickr collection of his pretty pretty covers
― Kevin John Bozelka, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 23:13 (fourteen years ago) link
ugh sorry about ugly link
― Kevin John Bozelka, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 23:14 (fourteen years ago) link
woah, nice gallery.
― Dinosauciers (los blue jeans), Thursday, 14 January 2010 03:45 (fourteen years ago) link